Wednesday, November 18, 2015

This is an excellent introduction to the contributions
African American Women made in the opening of the Old West. Wagner profiles 10
women of indomitable courage who went through whatever it required to get where
they wanted to get.

I am a bit disappointed there were no stories of African
American women who helped settle the Inland Empire of Oregon, Washington, &
Idaho – but that's probably due to the fact there were none. Those who came
went on to Portland or Seattle.

I think my favorite character, and she was, indeed, a
character was Mary Fields, aka Stagecoach Mary, though it's difficult to pick a
favorite.

Ms. Wagner did her research, and told each story with care
and attention to detail, without bogging the story down in nothing but facts.
This book should be in every history class in every high school in the country.
Not just in the class, but taught.

I look forward to reading Wagner's book, It Happened on the
Underground Railroad. If I have to find a negative remark about this book, it
is only that it was too short. I would like to have read a great deal more
about many of these women. Oh, wait, I can do that, can't I? ;-)

If you're a history buff, as I am, I heartily recommend this
book. Job well done, Ms. Wagner. Job well done.

If you are a fan of history, especially that of the opening
of the Oregon Country to pioneers, I think these books (there are two Volumes)
should be at the top of your "must read" list. Drury is the
undisputed authority on the Whitmans and the early members of the Oregon
Mission Board who came here (the Spaldings, Eells, Walkers). The Rangers at the
Whitman Mission National Historic Site use Drury as their authority and bible.
I now understand why.

When I picked Volume I up, and began to read, my eyes began
to quickly glaze over. It began as a very dense history book. However, by page
3 or so, I was hooked. Yes, it is dense, yes, it is packed with facts and
tidbits and many items of interest, and yes I found myself resenting the times
I had to put the books down. When I finished Volume I, I immediately picked up
Volume II and began reading.

Volume I contains more information about Narcissa, which is
what I was after, but Volume II contains more information about the mission in
general and Marcus. The primary focus of these two volumes is, of course,
Narcissa and Marcus; however, due to the nature of history, many other people
entered the narrative from the Rev. Henry H. Spalding, a rejected suitor of
Narcissa, the Indians who invited the Missionaries to come and teach them, to
the metis, Joe Lewis the primary instigator of the uprising in which the
Whitmans and others were killed.

The only complaint I have about the books, and believe me I
had to dig to find one, is the quality of the maps and drawings. I know they
were copies of the originals, which weren't all that great to begin with, but
they were small. It would have been nice had they at least been full page
instead of 80% or whatever. Keep a magnifier handy when reading.

Drury was not only an Historian of merit, but also a
minister, a terrific author, and he was able to bring the characters not just
to life on the page, but to give us insights into their actions, and thinking.

Highly recommend these two books! Also, there are footnotes. Real footnotes. Not those stupid end notes publishers so love ;-)

I took a poetry workshop from Ms. Austen, our Washington
State Poet Laureate. What a delightful two hours. After, I bought her book,
curious to read her work, which was not used in the workshop.

She mentioned some personal life stories during the
workshop, and this book tells a little about them. Many people I know read a
book of poetry willy-nilly, they enjoy picking up the book and opening it to a
poem. I tend to start at the beginning and read to the end. The beginning tells
us it is in memory of her brother, who died too young at 37 years of age. I
read the first three poems and stopped. The third poem is "What Is
Known" – for her brother, Michael – just blew my socks off. She has
several poems in this book with the same title, and they are very, very
powerful.

This is not a book of lightness and humor; it is a book of
delicately written pain, and sorrow. It explores life in all its meanings – and
every reader will read their own poems, their own stories, into these words.

While it is not a book of lightness and humor, it is yet
filled with light, and touches of humor. These poems will go directly to your
heart; they will allow your soul to soar. I read the complete book in a matter
of 3 or 4 sittings. I have since gone back to several of the poems to read
again, and sometimes yet again, to read, to absorb, to marvel at the beautiful writing,
and then to lay aside only to pick it up again and again.